Stonehenge has been a landmark on Salisbury Plain for five millennia. Cornhenge is set to disappear after just nine months in the centre of Ipswich!

The plinths on Ipswich Cornhill will not be replaced. Picture: PAUL GEATER

The controversial "Four Plinths" sculpture was unveiled as an integral part of the new Cornhill development last November - but it is now being removed . . . and will not be replaced.

The concrete plinths contained panels giving details of Ipswich's history - from its role as the oldest Anglo Saxon town in the country to its success in providing England football managers.

However they never looked as spectacular as was promised. They could not be polished to improve their appearance and they were never accepted by shoppers and visitors.

The decision was made earlier this year to replace them - but now the Ipswich Vision Partnership which is responsible for the Cornhill has decided they should be removed and not replaced.

The Partnership had never paid for them because they did not meet their specification - they are believed to have had a £60,000 price tag - but will have to pay for them to be removed and the area where they were to be repaved.

It is not known how long that work will take, but Ipswich Council and the partnership hope it will be completed by September 13 in time for the Last Night of the Proms.

Ipswich Vision Partnership chair Terry Hunt said the sculpture was the one disappointing element of the new Cornhill.

He said: "The Cornhill itself has been very popular. On days like this there are lots of children having great fun in the fountains and it does look very good.

"But Cornhenge never really worked. I haven't had one person come up to me and say 'we must keep a big sculpture in that part of the Cornhill.'

"What this decision will do is open up that corner of the Cornhill to create more space for people to meet." Mr Hunt hoped this could encourage a possible tenant to look again at the former Grimwade's building.

The area around the sculpture was sealed off on Tuesday morning, and work to remove them is due to begin on Wednesday. While they should be gone within a fortnight, council officials do not know how difficult it will be to dislodge them from the area after less than a year after they were installed.